Stabilized fat-soluble vitamins and methods of making same



STABILIZED FAT-SOLUBLE. VITAMINS ANTI) METHODS OF MAKING SAME Adolf Rosenberg, Forest Hills, N. Y.

No. Drawing. Application February 24, 19.54 Serial No. 412,399

Claims. (Cl. 99-2) This invention; relates to'feeds orsupplements. of feeds fortified with the fat-soluble vitamins. More: particularly,. it is. directed to; a novel dry composition. containing the fat-soluble: vitamins. in a highlystabilized and physiologically available form.

The provision of means; for fortifyingfeeds. with supplements containing; the fat-soluble vitamins in assured potencies is a problem which has commanded a vast amount of attention from scientists and technologists. Initially, it. was thought suflicient to provide the. fat-soluble vitamins for feed supplementation inv such form that, until incorporation thereof in. the feed, the vitamin content, thereof was. stabilized soas to withstand destruction or disintegration; and, further, that the feeds. containing such supplements. should. exhibit. a. retentionrof the vitamin potency comparable to. that of the supplements prior to their incorporation-in the feed. However, an, even greater and more. perplexing. problem. exists with respect to. providing a fat-soluble vitamin supplement that can be. included as a. component. of mineral supplements or mineral concentrates that. are now used to provide. the necessary ate-nt days? storage at. 45 6..

In my studies, vitamin A was determined according to the method. of H. G. Scliaetlenl. A. OLA. C.,. volume 33, page. 6.15 61.95%) subject to the U. S. B. biological edition (L945).

It is to be: noted that since; mineral supplements are per se indestructible, they are, therefore, stored for much longer periods than other feedsupplements prior to use. Suppliers of. such supplements; to feed; manufacturers; or to farmers cannot tolerate. such excessive: losses of the costly vitamins. Hence, prior to myst-udies as. set: out

" intuit-pending application, Serial No. 365.788. filed July pl'rcation permits the. manufacture and distribution of comor essential trace-mineral supplementations of the basic 7 feed rations.

The first successfulsolution of the problem of stabilizing fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin A, in. a supplement that exhibited excellent retention of the vitamin potency wasachievedv by Melnick (U. S. Patent No. 2,496,634). His solution to the problem. resided in. providing dry, discrete particles of a high melting fat embodying the fat-soluble vitamins, which particles or granules are distributed in a powdery base, as of soy flouror soy meal, as a protective vehicle. The particles are made by incorporating the fat-soluble vitamins in a molten fatty base, and. subsequently manipulating the mass of molten fat with the vitamins distributed uniformly therethrough into the. ultimate granules.

However, the Melnick product cannot be incorporated as. a component of a. mineral concentrate used for the purposes above described. In the presence of the minerals, the Melnick product suffers severe rapid destruction of the. vitamins, especially vitamin A. Thus, I. have found that when one (1) part of the Melnick product (his example III) is. incorporated in one (1) part of the following mineral concentrate:

Grams Manganese sulfate, MnSO.,.4H O 74 Potassium iodide, KT 6 Ferrous sulfate, FeSO .4H O 73 Copper sulfate, CuSO .5I-I O 11 Zinc sulfate, ZnSO .7H O 4 Cobalt sulfate, CoSO .H O 0.6

Calcium carbonate, q. s.. 20 pounds to provide a product containing 280 U. S. P. unim of vitamin A per gram, the retention of the vitamin -A. therein is very poor. The mixture shows a loss of from. 9-5 percent to 100 percent of the vitamin A at the half-way stage of the storage period, i. e.,l0 days at C., the

positions containing minerals and vitamins. with guaranteed vitaminpotencies. The vitamin stability, particu- .larly otthelabile vitamin A in such mixtures isextraordi- .narily good, provided, as I have now discovered, that the mbiture, as such, or the, feed to. which it will eventually' be. added, shall. contain moisture not excess of ,9. percent. destruction, particularly loss: of vitamin A, occurs. patently the. destructive influence. of minerals on vitamin If the. moisture exceeds 9 percent, vitamin QA in capsulatcd. form is. due according to my recent, disinfrequently observed. But even here the vitamin A the Prior to. my studies as. set forth. in my aforesaid pending application, a compromise but very limited. solution tein supplements (fish meal, milk protein, meat scrap,

Qne. popular such'mixture calls for one part minprotein mixture. being, supplemented with a stabilized vitamin preparation of Melnick. A rapid turnover (short storage period) of that mixed product. is. encouraged, but

losses are still large, 60 to 83 percent of the vitamin. A being destroyed within the first 10 days at 45 C. or 3 months at ordinary temperatures (initially 86 U. S. P. units per gram). Therefore, such protein-mineral-vita- -min supplements must not only be manufactured with huge. averages. of the labile vitamins, but they also must be consumed within a period of less. than '3 months after vitamin fortificationif they are. to evidence nutritional value. The above also requires, as I have now discovered, that moisture pick-up by the feed supplement be negligible during storage and shall be less than 9 percent. It is clear that such initial overcharging of a. product with the labile vitamins in order to provide an adequate vitamin potency when it is fed to the animals is not only economically wastefuhbut results in the pricing thereof at an inordinately high figure. Storage of the product in moisture-proof containers also introduces problems.

Since. it is. recognized that a deficiency in the ration of one essential nutrient, viz., the vitamin A, interferes with. animal growth, reproduction and even survival,

oxidants in the Melnick soy fiour base. product itself contains only soybean meal or flour around despite liberal quantities of the other nutrients, feed manufacturers furnishing the raisers of farm animals with a ration supplement have longed for a solution to their problem of assuring that the vitamin A, E, or D potency of their product will indeed be adequate at the time of feeding, without extra precautions to prevent moisture pick-up.

The failure of the vitamin A in' Melnicks compositions to be as stable in feeds and in mineral supplements, as in the compositions themselves, is attributable in part to separation of the vitamin A in the fat granules from the protective influence of the antioxidants in the soy flour base.

The addition of one part of Melnicks composition, the vitamin containing granules in the powdery base, to

99 parts of a feed containing soybean meal in concentrations of 30 percent or less reduces to a large degree the protective influence on the vitamin A of the anti- The vitamin A the fat particles embodying the vitamin A. In the feed, on the contrary, there are at least two parts of the other types of feed constituents per one part of the soybean meal which are in contact with the vitamin A component. Melnick has shown that other bases are inferior to soybean meal or soybean flour in protecting the vitamin A granules. This observation has been confirmed by publications from other laboratories (Wall, M. E.,

'and Kelley, E. J., Ind. and Eng. Chem., vol. 43, p. 1146 (1951); Burns, M. 1., and Quackenbush, F. W., Ind. and Eng. Chem., vol. 43, p. 1592 (l95l)).

In the case of mineral supplements fortified with Melnicks compositions, there is still another and more serious factor that contributes to the oxidative loss of the fat-soluble vitamins. The mineral supplements contain, in plentiful quantity, the so-called trace minerals iron 'and copper, notorious for their influence in promoting the rapid oxidation of both fats and vitamin A. Even if iron and copper salts are not deliberately included as components of some mineral supplements, the other mineral salts furnish, as contaminants, substantial quantities of these essential elements. A good poultry ration will provide about 200 mg. of iron per kilo of ration (200 parts per million), and about mg. of copper per kilo.

In the mineral supplement (concentrate) above described, the iron content is actually about 2000 parts per million and the copper content is about 300 parts per million.

I have found that such high concentrations of iron and copper exert a deleterious effect on the fat and on the vitamin A in Melnicks compositions. I have noted that as little as 3 parts per million of iron or 0.2 part per million of copper markedly afiects the resistance of even hydrogenated fats to oxidative deterioration and of the vitamins A, D, E, and K contained therein. The observation that the loss of vitamin A parallels peroxide formation in the oil carriers of the vitamin A has been reported by several investigators (Halpern, G. R., Ind. and Eng. Chem., Anal. Ed., vol. 18, p. 621 (1946); Dassow, J. A., and Stansby, M. E, J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc., vol. 26, p. 475 (1949); Kehren cited by Piskur,

M. M., J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc., vol. 27, p. 211 (1950)).

Thus in supplementing mineral mixtures (and even feeds), with the Melnick composition,'there results not only a dilution of his soybean meal base, but also the exposure of the fat particles, embodying the fat-soluble vitamins, to the catalytic pro-oxidant effects of iron and copper. V

In my aforesaid pending application, products are delarly in mineral mixes. tion is shown to be achieved by the creation of dry discrete spheres or beads of small size, i. e., less than 2 scribed and methods of manufacture presented for more 'such as gums or, pectin.

. on vitamin A stability.

mm. in diameter in which the vitamin is a component of a central core that is encased within an outer protective shell. The central core is a solid fat, in which the vitamins, particularly vitamin A, are very stable in the absence of a mineral environment. The outer protective shell is a dry proteinaceous film that has been largely denatured in the process of manufacture. This proteinaceous film serves as a barrier that separates the inner fat core containing the fat soluble vitamins from the mineral mixtures containing pro-oxidant catalysts. The method of manufacture'calls for the preparation of a mixture of the melted fat'containing the fat-soluble vitamins suspended in an aqueous solution of the proteinaceous material, heating the'mixture to a temperature at which the protein would coagulate if the pH were more favorable, homogenizing the mixture to form an oil-in-Water emulsion and spray drying the emulsion to obtain vitamin spheres which are substantially dry, free "eral mixtures provided, as I have now discovered, that This particular product is exceedingly stable in minthe moisture content of such mineral mixtures (and this is usually the case) is less than 9 percent. However, when such vitamin mineral mixtures are incorporated in a feed containing moisture in excess of 9 percent (and this is usually the case) the protective influence of the 'proteinaceous film is greatly reduced.

It is my belief that, in the presence of moisture, certain of the prooxidant catalytic metal salts are sufficiently solubilized to penetrate the proteinaceous film and thereby exert their deleterious effect on the stability of the fat soluble vitamins in the central fat core. Other workers in this field have encountered this same problem in their preparation of the vitamin A encapsulated solely in a proteinaceous material such as gelatin or in other vehicles These materials are very hygroscopic and in feed mixtures have exhibited such tremendous losses of vitamin A that they have proved to be ineffective for the purpose intended. In my pending application the use of a denatured protein film has :reduced to a large degree the hygroscopicity of the proteinaceous barrier, but not completely. In addition the vitamin A has a second line of defense in being dispersed products employed by others.

It will be noted from the examples set forth in my pending application that the vitamin A used as the most critical test system exhibited excellent retention when incorporated in feed-mixtures containing minerals and subjected to an accelerated holding test. This accelerated holding test involved storage of the feed for a period of reconcile the difference in stability results obtained in the laboratory versus those obtained under realistic storage conditions in commercial use. It finally dawned on me that in my accelerated storage tests there was no provision made for measuring the deleterious effect of moisture Indeed storage in the laboratory of the feed containing the stabilized vitamin preparation and added minerals results in a dehydration of the overall mixture undergoingthe test with the result that the moisture content is reduced from an initial 10-12 percent downto less'than' l'fpercent at the conclusion of the test.

tially containing from 10 to 12 percent moisture frequently exhibited a moisture increase to a final figure of as much as 15 percent. Under such circumstances -vita min A iristabilitybecame' apparent but to a degree much less than that noted when compositions described by Mel= hickWr'e employed ;or those used othersfwho have relied solely on. a barrier for separating the vitamin Afrom the feed. ingredients: without regard to hygroscopicity of the barrier material.

It flashed on me, as a result of these experiments, that an absolutely moisture-resistant outer barrier must be employed and. that net A. must be present in this outer resistant barrier.

I have discovered. a: great number of Ways which this type oi dry' vitamin A. product can. be ma'de.

Accordingly; it is anion-grthe principal objects of this invention to. 'provid'er'a dry free-flowing product containing the fat-soluble vitamins in such. a form that they resist deterioration whenv exposed to air and humidity.

Another object of this invention is to provide: amineral mixture containing. a. stabilized form of the fat-soluble vitamins in a. dry free-flowing form wherein the vitamins are resistant not: only to the oxidative deterioration catalyzed by pro-oxidant metal salts: but; also to the concomitant deleterious efiectiof moisture pick-up.

A further object of this invention. is: to provide: afeed mixture containing dry free-flowing forms of the fatsol uble vitamins which are: stable to oxidative deterioration despite. the presence of minerals: in the feedcontaining pro-oxidant metals, and. stable against the concomitant: deleterious etfects of moisture pick-up by the overall. feed mixture.

A still further object of this invention is; to provide: a dry free-flowing form of the fat-soluble vitamins which be incorporated into av dough-like mass and baked to form biscuits" or pellets without. dispersing the fat-soluble vitamins throughout the baked products, thereby obtaining halted product with the vitamin A. still retained in discrete stabilized particles.

Still another object of this. invention is toprovide concentrates for feeding; animals on the range where such concentrates are exposed to the elements. Such concent-rates, usually consisting of a protein, mineral and vitamin supplement, are made available. to animals on the range as a supplement to the natural forage. These concentrates frequently become wet, duringthe period of consumption and up to the present. time could never be relied upon as: a reliable source for the fat-soluble vita.-

. mius, particularly vitamin A.

The fundamental products of the present invention comprise. an outer shell or layer or framework of a completely moisture resistant encasing material preferably supplemented with anti-oxidants but containing no fatsol-uble vitamin. Inside this outer framework are discrete particles or beadlets, one or more, comprising a dispersion of the fat-soluble vitamins, preferably with added. anti-oxidants, in a material which is insoluble in the outer structure. The vehicular material of the inner discrete particles are hygroscopic materials, which encapsulate the fat-soluble vitamins in such a Way that. they cannot be extracted by the substance of the outer structure. l have discovered that, surprisingly, heating a sus- ---pension of the discrete particles, granules or beadlets containing the fat-soluble vitamins in molten fat for a prolonged period, for example three hours at 65 C. in preparing the novel fundamental products of this invention, is incapable of solubilizing' the fat-soluble vitamins in the molten fat.

The vehicular material employed to manufacture the discrete particles or beadlets (encapsulated by the moisture resistant structure mentioned above) are proteins such as gelatin, soyprotein, lactalbumen, etc.; gums such as gum arabic, gum tragacanth, locust bean gum, etc.; carbohydrates. and related forms. such as sorbitol, starches, pectins, cellulose derivatives such as. ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose, and other suitable K or appropriate materials.

The material used for the: outer shell, layer or structure or casing of the particles in which the tin-ier vitamin .4; particles or beadlets are em eddedacr encap comprise edible fats with a. melting point which-will pref.

erably remain solid: during the anticipated conditions of storage and in transportation; Accordingly, where materials are intended for shipment. through warm. climates or storage in warm climates, the melting points of the fat will. be: determined by the. anticipated maximal environmental temperatures. For the most part the edible fat used in the external shell, layer or casing of the particles will have a melting point of not less thanv 45 C.. and not above 70 C. Waxes may be employed for the outer casing of the particles with melting points of not less than.- 45C. and melting points not greater than C.

l have discovered, when using the high melting edible fats, that good physiological: availability of the fat-soluble vitamins is obtained from the products,- of the present invention in feeding farm birds. Growth of birds subsisting. on a suboptimal level of vitamin A in. the form of products of this invention is measured against that of birds subsisting onknown quantities of vitamin A suppliedby an. oflicial standard reference material. In addition to this bioassay method, I have relied to a great extent on results of liver storage ofv vitamin A by birds subsisting on apparent adequate levels of vitamin A. The l-iversare removed from the birds on completion of the feeding test and the concentration of vitamin A in the liver reflects the quantity of vitamin A that was physiologic-ally available, i. e., absorbable from the digestive tract, incontrast to the chemically-determined vitamin A inthe feed prior to consumption.

Infeeding farm animals it is desirable to. include an emulsifying agent. in the outer substance that encases the inner tinier vitamin particles. For this purpose I have preferred to use lecithin and/or a mixture of monoanddiglycerides of the fat-forming fatty acids in concentrations that do not exceed 20 percent of the fat comprising the outer structure. Other emulsifying agents such as the fatty acid esters of sorbitan (Spans): or polyoxyethylene derivatives of such fatty acid esters of sorbitan (Tweens), or polyoxyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids (Myrjs), may also be. used.

When Waxes such as the mineral oil. waxes. are used, the above emulsifying agents must be employedregardless of the melting point of the waxes.

Derived forms of the edible fats mentioned above and of the waxes mentioned above, may also be employed provided that they are not hydroscopie.

If the conditions of storage are not too severe, although the effect of moisture is present to some degree, there may be used in place of the outer substance, completely resistant to water, a material that has some solubility in water provided it does not substantially take up and retain that water. Such a material, for example, is typified by glycerol monostearate.

Anti-oxidants may be added to both the outer structure as. well as to the inner discrete particles for further protection of the fat-soluble vitamins contained in said particles. Anti-oxidants satisfactory for this purpose are butylated hydroxyanisole, tocopherols, propyl gallate, citric acid and other appropriate. and suitable materials. I prefer to add to the outer substance, anti-oxidants which are preferentially fat-soluble, such as butylated hydroxyanisole and/or tocopherols; and to add to the inner discrete particles anti-oxidants which are preferentially water soluble, such as propyl gallate and citric. acid. In terms of the final product the anti-oxidants need not generally constitute more than 1.0 percent of the materials comprising either the outer structure. or the vehicular component of the inner encased particles.v

In making the product of the present invention the inner vitamin-containing particles are made by one method as follows: The fat-soluble vitamins as. such, or in an edible fat base, are emulsified with the water-soluble vehicular materials described above to form a fat in water emulsion, that is, the fat is present. as discrete particles in a continuous aqueous-phase containing thereim -of these processes are satisfactory for making the discreteparticles of the present invention.

is above 30 percent on a weight basis.

I of propyl gallate;

:dissolved the above-mentioned vehicular materials. This emulsion may'be spray dried to givediscrete'p articles which are essentiallymoisture-free and containing embodied within the center of each particle the fat-soluble vitamins. Drum drying or pan drying with subsequent flaking or granulationmay beused to obtain the inner discrete vitamin-containing particles.

Methods of manufacture of such discrete particles are described in my aforesaid pending application as well and 2,643,209) the dehydration of the vehicular material is accomplished by washing the discrete particles with a dehydrating solvent and subsequent drying. Any inner After these tiny discrete particles, usually of a diameter less than 1 rnm., are manufactured they are then suspended in the molten edible fat or wax base and the mixture, with good agitation is spray chilled. The particles thus produced by spray chilling will, in general, be characterized by a structure consisting of an outer solidified fatty shell comprising one or perhaps more of the aforedescribed vitamin-containing beadlets. An alternative method of manufacture involves cooling the suspension of the particles to be encased in the molten encasing material to a low enough temperature to permit flaking or pulverizing. An advantage of this method of manufacture is the ability to obtain an end product in which the ratio of discrete beads to outer fat shell In the spray chilling operation the ratio of inner discrete particles to the outer fat shell cannot readily be obtained in excess of 25 percent.

The following are some examples of methods of manufacturing the dry, discrete, free-flowing particles containing fat-soluble vitamins in highly stabilized form resistant to the pro-oxidant effects of metals and humidity or moisture.

I Example 1 100 parts of tiny particles consisting of vitamin A acetate entrapped in gelatine having a vitamin A potency about 59 C.).

The thoroughly blended dispersion of the viamin A- containing particles in the molten fat is spray chilled to produce finished particles having a vitamin A potency of 50,000 U. S. P. units per gram. These particles are of the size that they provide about 12,000 particles per gram.

Example 2 Pure vitamin A acetate having ,a vitamin potency of 2,750,000 U. S. P. units per gram is converted into tiny particles'using sorbitol as the vehicular material.

The vitamin A acetate (40 parts) is emulsified in a mixture of the molten sorbitol (200 parts) and the poiyoxyethylene ether of sorbitan monostearate containing 20 oxyethylene groups per mole (20 parts) and 0.26 part The tiny particles produced therefrom (by spray chilling) have a vitamin A potency of approxi- Y mately 420,000 U. S. P. units per gram.

Then 100 parts of the vitamin A-containing particles produced as above set forth are thoroughly distributed in a molten mixture of 500 parts of essentially completely hydrogenated soy bean oil (melting point 6869 C.), 25 partsof'lecithin in soy bean oil and 2.5 parts of butylated hydroxy-anisole.

The molten mixture is then spray chilled to produce final particles in which the tiny sorbitol-entrapped vitamin particles are encased in the hydrogenated soy bean oil.

77 Example? In one tank 97 parts of essentially completely hydrogenated coconut oil (iodine number of 1.0) having a melting point of 37 C. is heated to about 47 C. To the molten fat-are added, 0.02 parts .butylated. hydroxyanisole, 0.025 parts of vitamin D crystals [potency '40,000,000.AOAC units (international chick units) per gram] and 3.0 parts ofvitamin A palmitate in corn oil (potency 1,110,000 U. S. P. units per gram) and the mixture thoroughly blended.

in another tank, 31 parts of solvent-extracted, nonheat processed soy flour containing about 50 percent protein (nitrogen 6.25) are suspended in 300 parts of warm Water at about 40 C. and stirred for a period of fifteen minutes until the soy flour is dissolved. 2 parts of citric acid are then dissolved in this solution.

The contents of the two tanks are mixed (under nitrogen) heated to a temperature of about 65 C. for a short interval (20 minutes) and homogenized. The emulsion is spray dried to produce the tiny particles to be encased.

The tiny particles show a vitamin A potency of 11,000,000 U. S. P units per pound and 3,400,000 AOAC units of vitamin D per pound.

These tiny particles (200 parts) are then incorporated in molten fat (800 parts) either essentially completely hydrogenated cottonseed oil or essentially completely hydrogenated soy bean oil; and the dispersion spray chilled to produce the finished particles containing the encasement of the tiny particles.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the fat-soluble vitamin-containing particles of this invention are dry, discrete, free-flowing particles comprising encasements of (A) one or more tiny inner particles comprising fatsoluble vitamin entrapped within a fat-insoluble vehicle, encased in (B) a moisture-resistant substance in which the vehicular material of (A) is insoluble.

The tiny particles (A) may also be made by the methods shown for example, in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,562,840, 2,643,209, or 2,650,895. In U. S. Patent No. 2,566,410 there are described sorbitol particles containing an entrapped oil. That mode of manufacture may be employed to manufacture sorbitol-containing vitamin A by using vitamin A in an ester or other suitable form, essentially pure or in oil solution, as the oleaginous component of the sorbitol particle.

As has been pointed out, in the tiny particles (A) the vehicular component may be protein, carbohydrate, gum,

pectin or any other water soluble or water-sensitive mate rial; Whereas the encasing substance may be any waterinsoluble edible fatty material, or material prepared from edible oils by hydrogenation to melting points of about at least 45 C., as for example, cottonseed, coconut, corn, peanut, etc. Or, there may be used waxes, such as esparto wax or other waxes, or mineral waxes in which the vehicular material of (A) is insoluble. Also, there may be used derived forms of such fats or waxes either completely insoluble in'water or sparingly so.

The tiny particles (A) may include preferentially water-soluble anti-oxidants and or emulsifying agents; and the encasing substance may also contain preferentially fat-soluble anti-oxidantsand or emulsifying agents.

The fundamental products of this invention exhibit splendidstability of the fat-soluble vitamin, in the presence of-pro-oxidant metal compounds and humidity that so severely affect the stability of vitamin A. Such stability is especially noteworthy whenthe particles are components of high mineral-content feed concentrates,

It will also be apparent that the particles of this invention may be made by eifectuating a thorough distribution of the tiny inner particles (A) in the liquefied substance of (B) wherein (A) is insoluble; and then manipulating the blend of (A) in (B) by any suitable, appropriate or convenient means so as to achieve the ultimate particles comprising (A) encased in (B).

It will be understood that the foregoing description of the invention and the example set forth are merely illustrative of the principles thereof. Accordingly, the appended claims are to be construed as defining the invention within the full spirit and scope thereof.

1 claim:

1. Discrete, free flowing particles each comprising at least one inner core of fat-soluble vitamin material, said core being coated with a shell of a fat-insoluble substance selected from the group consisting of protein, gums, carbohydrates and pectin, which'is in turn coated with a member of the group consisting of fats and waxes having a melting point between 45 and 95 C.

2. Discrete, free flowing particles each comprising at least one inner core of fat-soluble vitamin material comprising vitamin A, said core being coated with a shell of a fat-insoluble substance selected from the group consisting of protein, gums, carbohydrates and pectin, which is in turn coated with a member of the group consisting of fats and waxes having a'melting point between 45 and 95 C.

3. Process of manufacturing discrete, free flowing particles each comprising at least one inner core of fatsoluble vitamin material, which comprises melting a member of the group of fats and waxes having a melting point of to C., dispersing therein fat-insoluble particles, each of said particles comprising at least one inner core of a fat-soluble vitamin material that is coated with a shell of a fat-insoluble substance which is a member of the group consisting of protein, gums, carbohydrates and pectin, chilling said dispersion and dividing the chilled dispersion into discrete, free flowing particles.

4. Process of manufacturing discrete, free flowing particles each comprising at least one inner core of fatsoluble vitamin material, which comprises melting a member of the group of fats and waxes having a melting point of 45 to 95 C., dispersing therein fat-insoluble particles, each of said particles comprising at least one inner core of fat-soluble vitamin material that is coated with a shell of a fat-insoluble substance which is a member of the group consisting of protein, gums, carbohydrates and pectin, and spray cooling said dispersion.

5. Process in accordance with claim 4 wherein the fat soluble vitamin material is vitamin A material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,401,293 Buxton June 4, 1946 2,426,762 Chanin Sept. 2, 1947 2,480,103 Fux Aug. 30, 1949 2,496,634 Melnick Feb. 7, 1950 2,562,840 Caldwell July 31, 1951 2,650,895 Wallenmeyer et a1. Sept. 1, 1953 2,702,262 Bavley et al. Feb. 15, 1955 

1. DECRETE, FREE FLOWING PARTICLES EACH COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE INNER CORE OF FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMIN MATERIAL, SAID CORE BEING COATED WITH A SHELL OF A FAT-INSOLUBLE SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PROTEIN, GUMS, CARBOHYDRATES AND PECTIN, WHICH IS IN TURN COATED WITH A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FATS AND WAXES HAVING A MELTING POINT BETWEEN 45* AND 95*C. 